Vice President CP Radhakrishnan flags off Onam pageantry as week-long celebrations conclude

Pathanamthitta: Vice President CP Radhakrishnan on Sunday flagged off the Onam Pageantry, marking the conclusion of the state's official Onam celebrations.

The flag-off ceremony was attended by Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar, Kerala Chief Minister D Satheesan, Speaker Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan, Cabinet Ministers P C Vishnunath, K Muraleedharan, CP John, Roji M John, KA Thulasi, and Bindhu Krishna and Mayor VV Rajesh.

Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar and Chief Minister VD Satheesan presented mementoes to Vice President CP Radhakrishnan.

The dignitaries viewed the parade from the main pavilion set up alongside Lok Bhavan. M Vincent MLA, Chief Secretary Biswanath Sinha, DGP Ravada A Chandrasekhar, General Administration Department Secretary K.Biju, District Collector Anu Kumari, various elected representatives, and senior government officials were also present.

The procession passed through the heart of the city, covering Vellayambalam, Museum, Palayam and Statue before concluding at East Fort. Traditional folk art forms, including Pulikali, Garudan Parava, and Muthappan Theyyam, were featured in the procession as part of Kerala's traditional art forms.

Showcasing Kerala's rich cultural heritage, the pageantry featured floats from 69 government departments and over 100 traditional and folk art forms. The procession included cultural troupes from across the nation, representing states such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.

Spanning from Lok Bhavan to East Fort, the grand pageantry drew massive crowds, with spectators lining both sides of the road to glimpse the vibrant floats and art forms. The parade offered a spectacular and fitting finale to the enchanting week-long Onam celebrations.

With this, the Onam Tourism Week Celebrations came to a conclusion with the closing-day pageantry.